From occlusion training to rowing machine training – there are now hundreds of fitness trends from the USA that are spilling over to us and are becoming increasingly popular. Whether in climbing or gymnastics - ropes are an integral part of sports and all fitness enthusiasts know thatJump rope exercisesperfect for a strenuous full-body workout. But there are other ways to incorporate ropes into our training routine. You've probably seen them in the gym before: these huge twisted torture devices that are still called battle ropes. Simply making the rope swing seems pretty easy at first glance, right? But after just 20 seconds your muscles start to burn! So if you are looking for a workout that will get you in shape quickly and challenge you again and again, then you are in the right place with the Wild Rope Training! So what the fitness trend is all about and which are the best wild rope exercises, we'll tell you in our article!
Wild ropes, also known as battle ropes, are ropes up to 25 meters long that are usually attached to a wall or a sturdy bar in the gym. They are a great option. They combine strength and cardio training in one and you can really work out in no time with a wild rope workout. The ropes are often used by professional athletes such as soccer players, MMA fighters and boxers to increase their strength and endurance. It's up to you whether you only include individual exercises in your routine, use the ropes as a finisher to the workout or decide to do an independent workout.
Wild rope training – how does the fitness trend work?
Although they look intimidating, wild ropes are a simple training tool that is perfect for both beginners and fitness professionals. The level of difficulty is primarily determined by the length and thickness of the rope. The wild rope training strengthens our core, arms, shoulders and abdominal muscles as well as our legs and buttocks and offers us a great fitness workout all at once - a real miracle weapon! The aim is to make the ropes vibrate with your arms and create the so-called “waves”. Whether forward, backward or with circular movements - the different arm positions provide variety and training is just really fun! And the best part? Battle ropes are a true weight loss miracle. A study conducted by the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning" found that swinging ropes for 10 minutes can burn up to 120 calories and boost your metabolism.
Wild ropes offer a quick and effective full-body workout
- Full body workout –In order to achieve our fitness goals, it is important to continually expose our bodies to new challenges. Next to theRowing machine trainingWild ropes are one of the few pieces of fitness equipment that target almost all major muscle groups at the same time. Obviously, the core and arms are primarily trained. To get the most out of your training and prevent injuries, you should ensure that your upper body remains as stable as possible and only your shoulders and arms are in motion. In order to maintain the correct posture and not lose your balance, your stomach, legs and buttocks have to work constantly and are therefore trained. Beginners in particular are recommended to seek advice from a trainer first.
- Time saving –No time to spend several hours in the gym? A 15 minute wild rope workout is more than enough to boost your metabolism and promote muscle building. But you shouldn't be discouraged if you're exhausted after 5 minutes the first few times - with regular training you'll make progress and see results after just 1-2 weeks. It would be optimal if you start with shorter runs that last no longer than 15-20 seconds and slowly work your way up.
Wild rope training for losing weight and building muscle
- fat loss –The process of losing weight isn't all that complicated - it's mostly about burning more calories than you consume. The more muscles you target during an exercise, the higher your calorie consumption in the gym will be. One of the biggest benefits of wild rope training is that it targets muscles that are not trained with most fitness equipment and are therefore weaker. The combination of effective cardio, constant exercise and the recruitment of multiple muscle groups helps us lose weight and turns our body into a real fat burning machine.
- Improves our stability and performance –Pulling and lifting the ropes requires a certain balance that requires and improves stability in both the upper and lower body. This is thanks to the so-called “dual force dynamic” effect – a combination of gravity and the force generated by the waves. The longer and more often we train with the wild ropes, the stronger our core muscles become. Whether you're just starting out or recovering from surgery or injury, there's a wild rope workout that can benefit you.
- Wild ropes are ideal for avoiding fitness plateaus –We've all been there before - after an effective and strenuous period of training, we suddenly feel as if our bodies are hardly changing at all. And let’s be honest – it can get pretty frustrating and demotivating. If we do the same exercises for months, our muscles get used to the routine and stop making progress. To avoid this stagnation, it is important to regularly adjust our training routine every 7 to 10 weeks. Variety and new stimuli are the key to long-term success. Also, never underestimate the power of a fun workout! While most equipment is rather boring and monotonous, wild rope training is so varied that you can perform different and more interesting exercises each time.
And these are the best battle ropes exercises
Don't be intimidated by the giant ropes at the gym and incorporate some of the following exercises into your workout routine. However, if you want to tone your body and improve your endurance in the shortest amount of time, then you can pick a few moves and create your own wild ropes workout. Try to do 3-4 sets of 20 seconds of each exercise, building up to 1 to 2 minutes over time. The starting point is always the same. Place your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees slightly and turn your pelvis slightly forward. When performing the exercise, make sure that you tense your stomach and buttocks and that your back remains straight. To make a wild rope workout more intense and interesting, try combining the classic wave exercises with other strength exercises such as jumps, lunges and squats. This means that several muscle groups are addressed at the same time and the calorie consumption is correspondingly higher.
- Double waves –Double waves are, so to speak, the classic basic exercise that is an absolute must for every battle rope training. Get into the starting position and hold one end of the rope in each hand. Tense your body and then move your arms up and down as quickly as possible to create even waves. It becomes a little easier if you alternately swing the ropes for 20 seconds per arm.
- Low alternating wave –While the movement for this exercise is exactly the same as the double wave described above, this exercise still works the lower body. To do this, squat deeply and keep your bottom tense and your back remains straight. Then swing the ropes alternately as quickly as possible.
- shoulder circles –Just as the name suggests, this exercise puts a lot of strain on our shoulders! Although the movement seems simple, it takes serious shoulder strength to last 20 seconds! Get into the basic position and raise your arms stretched over your shoulders. Perform circles clockwise for 15 seconds and then in the other direction for another 15 seconds.
- Snakes on the groundis another top exercise for the shoulders! Get into the starting position and move your arms left and right as intensely as possible - your goal is to make the ropes look like two snakes on the floor.
- Double waves with burpees –Is swinging too boring for you? Then you should definitely incorporate burpees into your wild rope training! The exercise is super intense and ideal for aTabata Training. Start in a deep squat and do a quick double wave. Put the ends of the rope down, quickly get into the push-up position, jump forward and up, grab the rope again and repeat. Try to do 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 30 seconds rest in between.
- Power Slamis one of the best exercises to improve your endurance and stimulate fat burning! Place your feet slightly wider than hip-width and hold the ends of the rope. Now bring your arms over your head, hit the ropes into the ground as hard as you can while squatting down.
- Lunges with jumpand wild ropes make the perfect duo forfirm and slim legs! Start with the classic alternating wave, but instead of squatting, do alternating lunges with a jump. However, these exercises require a lot of coordination and balance, so you should initially do them carefully and a little more slowly until you get used to the movement.
- side plank –Take your wild rope training to a whole new level by using different ropesShelf Variantsintegrate. Get into the classic low side plank and hold the ropes with the arm above. Move the ends of the rope up and down for 20 seconds and then switch sides and repeat.
